Maltese Soldiers Stationed In Beirut Are Safe Following Massive Explosion That Left At Least 100 Dead
Soldiers of Malta’s Armed Forces that are stationed in Beirut, Lebanon, are safe and in good condition, Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri has confirmed.
Ten soldiers are stationed in the region, Camilleri said. All are safe following the massive explosion.
Shocking images emerged yesterday after a port fire exploded into a mushroom cloud. At least 100 people are dead and more than 4,000 are injured.
Investigations are currently underway, but Lebanese President Michel Aoun said 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate had been stored unsafely in a warehouse for six years. An emergency cabinet meeting has been called.
Ammonium nitrate has a number of different uses, but the two most common are as an agricultural fertiliser and as an explosive. There are usually strict restrictions on how to store it.
The explosion comes during a tense time for Lebanon. There have been protests since October 2019 as the country battles an economic crisis and other tensions, such as Friday’s verdict in a trial over the killing of ex-Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005.
Footage of the massive explosion at #Beirut port a short while ago. It's truly frightening. #Lebanon pic.twitter.com/OZ0hZ5SwlC
— Nader Itayim | نادر ایتیّم (@ncitayim) August 4, 2020
Do you know of any first-hand accounts of yesterday’s incident? Comment below
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